Week
of Holy Week - Odd
This Bible Study was originally published athttp://shepherdboy.journalspace.com/, (now defunct)
based on the Lutheran Book of Worship two-year Daily Lectionary for personal devotions* The daily readings are according to a Calendar based on the Church Year, which begins on the first Sunday of Advent, usually sometime at the end of November in the year preceding the secular calendar year.
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*Lutheran Book of Worship, Daily Lectionary, p. 179-192, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978.
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To get the most from these studies, it is suggested that you first read the scripture texts for the entry, and then the paraphrase and commentary. It is also recommended that you look up the scripture references, unless you recognize and recall them from memory.
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Podcast Download: Holy Week - Odd
Palm Sunday - Odd
First posted 03/19/05;
Podcast: Palm Sunday - Odd
Zechariah 9:9-12 - Prince of Peace;
Zechariah12:9-11; 13:1, 7-9 - God’s Shepherd;
1 Timothy 6:12-16 - Fight the Good Fight;
Matthew 21:12-17 - Cleansing the Temple;
Zechariah 9 Paraphrase:
Rejoice, children of Zion (the city of God; the Church), “Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass” (Zechariah 9:9b; compare John 12:14-15). The chariot (of war), the war horse and the battle bow will be eliminated from God’s people and he will command peace to the nations. He will reign from sea to sea, and from the River (the cradle of civilization; Euphrates) to the ends of the earth. By the blood (of Jesus; Mark 14:24) of God’s (new) covenant with us God will set free the captives (of sin and death) from the “waterless pit” (Hell). “Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare to you that I will restore to you double” (Zechariah 9:12).
Zechariah 12 Paraphrase:
On the coming Day of the Lord, the Lord will destroy all who come against Jerusalem (the city of God; the Church). The house of David (from whom the Messiah came) and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will mourn, as for an only child, for the Messiah that they have martyred. Jerusalem will mourn for the Messiah as greatly as the pagans mourn the (annual) death of the fertility god on the plains of Megiddo (the battlefield of Israel; scene of the Battle of Armageddon).
Zechariah 13 Paraphrase:
On the Day of the Lord a fountain will be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness. On that Day the Shepherd will be stricken, and the sheep scattered. Two thirds of the inhabitants of the land will be destroyed, but one third will remain. This remnant will be refined by fire like gold and silver. They will call upon God and he will answer; God will call them his people and they will acknowledge that the Lord is their God.
Timothy Paraphrase:
“Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession" (of faith in Jesus Christ; 1 Timothy 6:12). Paul exhorts Christians to keep the commandment (Jesus’ teachings) unblemished and unreproached until the Lord’s return, remembering that Jesus made the good confession before Pontius Pilate, and that God sees everything.
Christ’s return will be revealed at the right time by God, “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no [mortal] has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:15-16).
Matthew Paraphrase:
After entering Jerusalem on a young donkey over a carpet of palm branches, to shouts of Hosanna (meaning, “O, save!”), Jesus entered the temple and drove out all the merchants who bought and sold, and he overturned the moneychangers’ tables. Jesus told them that the Lord’s house was a house of prayer but they had made it a den of robbers.
Jesus healed the blind and lame who came to him, but when the religious authorities saw the miracles he did and the children praising him, saying ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:15) they were indignant, and rebuked Jesus for allowing them to say such things. But Jesus quoted Psalm 8:2 suggesting that perfect praise comes from the young and innocent.
Commentary:
Zechariah’s prophecy was fulfilled, and continues to be fulfilled; Jesus, the King of Peace and King of kings, entered Jerusalem, humbly riding on a young donkey. Jesus will cause warfare to cease and will command peace to the nations. He will reign over all the earth.
He has already begun to reign in the hearts of his followers. By the Blood of Jesus, his disciples who trust and obey him have been set free from sin, death and eternity in Hell. His disciples are prisoners of hope in Jesus; he is our stronghold. The Lord will abundantly reward us.
The Lord is going to return in triumph and victory, to destroy the enemies of The Lord and his people. In one sense, each one of us is guilty of crucifying Jesus because we have all sinned (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10) and made his sacrificial death necessary for our forgiveness and salvation.
Jesus Christ is the cleansing fountain (see John 7:38-39; Revelation 21:6). We will either mourn now for our sins in repentance and be forgiven and saved or we will mourn on the Day of Judgment, when it will be too late to be saved from eternal condemnation.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd who was slain for his sheep (John 10:11). Jesus is the Son of David (Matthew 1:1-16; 21:9, 15; Luke 2:4-7). God’s people are those who acknowledge by deed as well as word that Jesus is their Lord.
The good fight of faith is to make the good confession, that Jesus is our Lord, and to keep his commandment (teachings) unblemished and unreproached until the Lord’s return. We are to be Jesus’ disciples, trusting and obeying him until his return. We are to live with Jesus as our King, reigning in our hearts and in our lives.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem he was greeted enthusiastically at first, but when he came into the temple, he criticized worldly practices which had corrupted worship. He started making changes, and offended the church leaders and those who had been profiting from their religious affiliations. He attracted and ministered to the poor and marginalized of society. He encouraged “emotionalism” and displays of praise and worship that the leaders and “mature” members found “unseemly.” By the end of the week many were ready to kill him.
Jesus has promised to return to judge the world on the Day of the Lord. Those who have trusted and obeyed Jesus will receive eternal life in Heaven with the Lord; those who have refused to trust and obey Jesus will receive eternal condemnation to death and destruction in Hell with all the wicked (Matthew 25:31-46). Jesus will return in the same way that his disciples saw him ascend into Heaven after his resurrection (Acts 1:9-11; Matthew 24:30-31). When Jesus returns, will you be shouting Hosanna, or will you be trying to hide?
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Monday Holy Week - Odd
First posted 03/20/05;
Podcast: Monday Holy Week - Odd
Jeremiah 11:18-20; 12:1-16 (17) - Jeremiah’s lament;
Philippians 3:1-14 - A warning;
John 12:9-19 - Palm Sunday;
Jeremiah Paraphrase:
The Lord revealed to his servant (Jeremiah; but also the Christ) a plot to destroy him. The servant was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter. The enemy hoped to destroy the fruit tree with its fruit, and destroy the memory of his name. But the Lord who judges righteously will avenge his servant, because the servant has entrusted his cause to the Lord.
Why do the wicked flourish? They prosper and bring forth fruit. God is on their lips, but not in their hearts. The servant entrusts himself to the Lord, who judges fairly and who knows our innermost thoughts. There will be a Day of Judgment when the Lord will destroy the wicked. Until then Nature is in mourning for the wickedness of those who dwell in wickedness.
People think that they can escape God’s notice and judgment. But the Lord warns that if they have striven with mankind and become tired, how can they hope to succeed against the Lord? The Lord mourns the necessity of removing his protection from his “beloved,” but his beloved has raised up her voice against the Lord, and become like a wild beast, pursuing her own appetite. So the Lord is assembling wild beasts against her to devour her.
Many unfaithful shepherds have destroyed the Lord’s vineyard and have made the Lord’s garden into a wilderness. Although the desolation of the land by the wicked can plainly be seen, no one is alarmed and makes serious effort to change.
The Lord’s punishment will destroy all the wicked from one end of the land to the other. “No flesh has peace” (Jeremiah 12:12c). They have reaped evil from what was good; they have worn themselves out pursuing what is worthless. “They will be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the Lord” (Jeremiah 12:13c).
The Lord is going to send his people into exile (as corrective discipline) and he will also chastise the neighbors and enemies of his people. The Lord will bring his chastened people back to their heritage in the Promised Land, and he will also restore Israel’s neighbors and enemies (the Gentiles), provided that they learn the ways of God’s people and trust and obey the Lord. But those who won’t learn to trust and obey the Lord will be destroyed in his Day of Judgment.
Philippians Paraphrase:
Paul urged the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord. He warned them to be on guard for false teachers demanding circumcision of (and keeping the Jewish law by) Gentile Christians. Real circumcision is spiritual circumcision which is reliance on the grace (free gift) of God in Jesus Christ rather than reliance on the flesh (our ability to keep the law).
Paul points out that if anyone could rely on his ability to fulfill the requirements of the law in his flesh, Paul could. Paul had been circumcised as a newborn according to Jewish law, he was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, a member of the Pharisees (the most legalistic sect of Judaism), so zealous for Judaism that he had persecuted Christians, and who was blameless of any transgression of the Law. But he gladly gave up whatever advantage he may have had under the law, for the sake of Christ.
The reward of a personal relationship with Christ made everything else worthless by comparison. Paul gladly surrendered everything else for the reward of being in fellowship with Christ, and being accounted righteous, not on any merit of his own through keeping the law, but by faith in Christ, the righteousness which only comes from God through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Paul valued above all else his personal experience of fellowship with the Lord, and the power of Christ’s resurrection. Paul was willing to share Christ’s suffering and even his death in order to attain eternal life. Paul did not consider that he had attained spiritual perfection and eternal life, but he was willing and able to strive toward that goal by keeping his heart focused on that goal, without looking back or longing for “the good old days.”
John Paraphrase:
Jesus had come to Bethany, just a couple miles outside of Jerusalem, to keep the Passover, knowing that he would be crucified. He stayed with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (whom Jesus had raised from the dead). When the people of Jerusalem learned he was in Bethany a great crowd came, not only to see Jesus but Lazarus as well. The religious leaders planned to execute Lazarus also (as they were plotting to execute Jesus), since many of the people were believing in Jesus because of Lazarus’ resurrection.
The next day a great crowd gathered again to see Jesus enter Jerusalem. They cut palm branches and went out to meet Jesus, shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name (authority) of the Lord, even the king of Israel (the Messiah)” (John 12:13b). Jesus was riding on a young donkey, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9.
The disciples didn’t understand the significance at that time, but after Jesus’ resurrection they remembered and realized the connection between the prophecy and the fulfillment. The people who had witnessed Jesus’ resurrection of Lazarus had told others, who came to see Jesus’ arrival because of their testimony. The Pharisees were frustrated because it seemed that the whole world was turning to Jesus.
Commentary:
The original context of this prophecy was a plot to assassinate Jeremiah, but because God’s Word is eternal it also applies to the Christ (Messiah), and it applies to the disciples of Christ in every age, as they follow Christ’s example. Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of this prophecy. Jesus is Lord’s servant, the gentle lamb led to slaughter who entrusted his cause to the Lord.
Judah, the remnant of Israel, the people of God, were the original intended recipients of this message. It was they who were exiled to Babylon for seventy years as the Lord’s corrective discipline, because they had rebelled against the Lord and followed the appetites of their own flesh; their own selfish desires. It was they who had been misled by unfaithful shepherds.
After the exile, the Lord led them back to their earthly promised land as God’s chastened people, fulfilling this prophecy. But the prophecy also applies to the Church, which is in exile in the “Babylon” of this world, subject to the Lord’s corrective discipline, whom he will ultimately lead into the Promised Land of his eternal kingdom.
The Lord promised that he would also restore the neighbors and enemies of Israel (God’s People), provided that they learn God’s ways and trust and obey the Lord, which he began to fulfill with the ministries of Peter and Paul to the Gentiles. There is a Day of Judgment coming when those who have refused to trust and obey Jesus, God’s only provision for forgiveness and salvation (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; See God’s Plan of Salvation, Sidebar, top right, home), will be condemned to eternal death and destruction (Matthew 25:31-46).
Paul is the prototype of the modern “born-again” Christian disciple, who came to personal fellowship with Jesus, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, after Jesus’ earthly life, death, resurrection and ascension into Heaven (Acts Chapter 9). He was a Jewish Christian who preached the Gospel to the Gentiles, because his fellow Jews refused to receive it. He exemplified the Lord’s servant who entrusted his cause to the Lord, and was willing to surrender all other things to follow and serve Jesus.
Paul warned his flock to rely on the grace (unmerited favor) of God through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus, rather than relying on the flesh and their (imagined) human ability to keep the law; and he warned them to be on guard against false, unfaithful shepherds whose teachings are contrary to the scriptural (as recorded in the Bible), apostolic (as taught by the Apostles) Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul recognized and taught Christian discipleship and spiritual growth.
The occasion was the Feast of Passover, when each Jewish family sacrificed a perfect, unblemished Lamb, to be eaten at the Passover meal. The Lamb’s blood was used to mark the door of the houses of the Israelites in Egypt to spare them from the Lord who passed through Egypt and killed all the firstborn, on the eve of Israel’s Exodus (Exodus 12:12-13). Jesus is the fulfillment of the Lamb of God (John 1:29). Jesus’ flesh is the Bread of Life (John 6:51), and his blood saves his people from eternal death.
His disciples didn’t understand the connections between Old Testament prophecy and New Testament events until after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, and their anointing with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Luke 24:48-49; Acts 1:4-5; Acts Chapter 2). Jesus is the resurrection and the life (eternal; John 11:25-26). Those who have experienced personal fellowship with Jesus and the power of his resurrection, through his indwelling Holy Spirit, like Paul (and like the witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection of Lazarus), are to tell others, so that the whole world will turn to Jesus.
Are we concerned by the spiritual desolation of our land? Have we wasted our strength pursuing what is worthless? Are we learning the ways of the Lord? Is God in your heart?
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Tuesday Holy Week - Odd
First posted 03/21/05;
Podcast: Tuesday Holy Week - Odd
Jeremiah 15:10-21 - Jeremiah’s second lament;
Philippians 3:15-21 - Confession and exhortation;
John 12:20-26 - Jesus concludes his public ministry;
Jeremiah Paraphrase:
Jeremiah mourned his birth. Although he had neither borrowed nor lent (or done anything else likely to stir up and justify their behavior), he had incurred strife and contention with every one of his countrymen. It is unjust, because he had interceded to the Lord for their good, and had prayed for his enemies. The threat from the north is overwhelming. The Lord will give the riches of Judah as spoil, without cost, to the enemy as the penalty for all Judah’s sins. The Lord will give Judah into slavery in a foreign land, because the Lord’s anger kindles a fire which will burn forever.
Jeremiah prayed, acknowledging that the Lord knows everything, and asking him to remember and avenge Jeremiah upon his persecutors, and not allow Jeremiah’s persecutors to prevail. Jeremiah had come to know God’s Word, had incorporated God’s Word into himself, and delighted in God’s Word in his innermost being; Jeremiah was known by the name of the Lord. Jeremiah had not joined those who seek their own gratification, nor had he rejoiced in worldly celebration. Instead he was alone in mourning because his obligation to God’s Word made him indignant (against ungodliness).
Jeremiah’s pain was unceasing and his wound seemed incurable. Would the Lord fail him, like a deceitful brook that ceases to flow? The Lord promises that he will restore and uphold those who turn to the Lord. If the Lord’s servant speaks what is precious rather than what is worthless, God will speak through him. The Lord will make his servant invincible; his enemies will fight against him but will not prevail, because the Lord will be with him to deliver him from the wicked and ruthless.
Philippians Paraphrase:
Paul urges Christians to press on to spiritual maturity, allowing the Lord to guide and help us, revealing areas where we need to grow. Let us hold fast to what we have attained. Paul urges us to follow the example of Paul and all those who follow Jesus’ teachings.
Many live as enemies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They live with minds focused on worldly things, pursuing the gratifications of their flesh shamelessly; their end is (eternal) destruction. But Christians are citizens of the heavenly kingdom, and we await our Savior, Jesus Christ, who will change our earthly bodies into glorified bodies like his by his sovereign power over all things.
John Paraphrase:
Some Greeks (Gentile converts to Judaism) had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. They came to Philip asking to see Jesus. Philip went and told Andrew and they went together and told Jesus. Jesus told them that God’s appointed time for Jesus to be glorified had come.
Jesus described what that glorification entailed with an analogy to a seed. A seed must be buried in the ground in order to produce a harvest, but when it is buried it sprouts and produces much fruit. So those who are unwilling to give up their lives in this world lose the opportunity to harvest what is truly life, abundantly and eternally. But those who are willing to surrender this earthly life will gain eternal life. Jesus said that those who want to be his servants, his disciples, must follow Jesus’ example. Where Jesus is there his servant will be also, and anyone who is Jesus’ servant will be honored by God the Father.
Commentary:
Jeremiah is an example of a servant of the Lord. Those who proclaim God’s Word are not going to be popular with the people of this world. Jeremiah was so unhappy with his life that he mourned his birth. But Jeremiah had come to know God’s Word, had applied it in his daily life, delighting in it in his innermost self. He had come to be known by the name of the Lord and his words and deeds were glorifying the Lord.
Jeremiah prayed for his enemies, and he entrusted his cause to the Lord, leaving vengeance to the Lord. The Lord is absolutely able and faithful to uphold those who turn to him. Jeremiah had chosen what is precious instead of what is worthless. He chose what is truly life rather than what leads to destruction.
The prophecy against Judah was fulfilled. Judah was taken into Exile in Babylon (the enemy in the North) for seventy years, in fulfillment of this prophecy. But it is also a metaphor and a warning of eternal Judgment. Because Judah had refused to obey God’s Word and rejected the warnings of his prophets, God gave them into slavery and death. (Seventy years is a virtual life sentence for those who were adults.) God’s anger kindles a fire which will burn forever (Jeremiah 15:14 RSV). The worldly treasures that the people of Judah had spent their lives pursuing were taken from them by their enemy.
Judah is the example of those who are called God’s people, but who pursue the things of this world and the gratifications of their flesh, instead of pursuing what is precious and eternal. Paul told the Christians at Philippi in Macedonia that we are to be guided by the Holy Spirit to grow to spiritual maturity.
We are to live in this world as temporary visitors who are citizens of God’s eternal kingdom. We are not to serve the desires of our fleshly bodies. We are to follow the example of Jesus and of Paul and all those who follow the example of Jesus. We’re to follow the example of Jeremiah, God’s servant.
Jesus' glorification was accomplished by his obedience to God’s will and his surrender of his earthly life in order to accomplish God’s purpose. Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy of the Lord’s Servant. He had done nothing deserving hatred, but had incurred strife and contention among his own people. He knew and delighted in God’s Word; he was God’s Word in human flesh (John 1:1-5, 14).
Jesus is the name of the Lord (Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:28). Jesus did not pursue his own desires; he was obedient to God’s will even unto death on the Cross. His commitment to God’s Word made him indignant against ungodliness (Matthew 21:12-17). He didn’t seek his own vengeance but entrusted his cause to God the Father, and God restored and upheld him; his enemies did not prevail. God delivered him from the wicked and the ruthless.
Jesus warns us that those who want to be Jesus’ servants must follow his example. We must choose to give up what we want, in order to accomplish God’s purpose. Where Jesus is (by example) there we must be; if we are where we should be as servants of Jesus, Jesus will be with us.
If we choose to proclaim God’s Word instead of the teachings of this world, God will speak through us. God will make his servants invincible. We cannot expect to avoid strife and contention, but we can be certain that we will prevail. Ultimately the enemies of the Cross and the Gospel of Christ will be punished and we will be vindicated and glorified.
Are we serving the Lord or are we serving ourselves? Are we bringing glory and honor to the Lord’s name? Do we know and apply God’s Word in our daily lives? Are we holding on to our faith and allowing the Lord to lead us in spiritual growth to maturity?
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Wednesday Holy Week - Odd
First posted 03/2205;
Podcast: Wednesday Holy Week - Odd
Jeremiah 17:5-10, 14-17,
(18);
Philippians 4:1-13;
John 12:20-26;
Philippians 4:1-13;
John 12:20-26;
Jeremiah Paraphrase:
The
person who trusts in humans, and relies on the
strength of his flesh, and turns away from relying on
the Lord, will be accursed. Like a shrub in
the desert, he will experience only hardship. He will
dwell in drought in the wilderness in an uninhabited
salt wasteland.
Blessed is the person who
trusts and hopes in the Lord. He will be like a tree
planted near water. His roots grow near, and he doesn't
worry when heat comes. His leaves stay green and he
continues to bear fruit in years of drought.
The human heart is totally
deceitful and corrupt beyond all things. Only God can
understand mankind. The Lord searches the mind and tests
the heart of each person, to repay each for his path in
life and the fruit of his deeds.
Only you, Lord, can heal me;
only you can save me, and I will give you praise!
Scoffers ask, “Where is the [fulfillment of the] Word of
the Lord? Let it come!” But I have not desired the
hastening of the Day of Judgment and disaster. The Lord
is my refuge, not a terror, in evil times. (Let those
who persecute me be put to shame and dismayed, intead of
me. Let the evil day come upon them and destroy them
completely.
Philippians Paraphrase:
Paul
urged his beloved brethren in Christ, who Paul
regarded as his joy and reward, to stand firmly in the
Lord. He asked two women, Euodia and Syntyche,
in the Philippian Congregation who had been arguing with
each other, to find agreement in the Lord. Paul also
asked one, whom he considered a partner in ministry,
to help these women, whom Paul also regarded as fellow
workers in the Gospel together with Clement (and others
whom are known to the Lord) for their partnership in the
Gospel.
Paul exhorted believers to
always rejoice, and to be forebearing of all people. The
Lord is at hand (through his indwelling Holy Spirit; and
also his imminent return). Therefore we should not worry
about anything, but let the Lord know all our needs, in
prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. Thus the
peace we have with God, beyond what we can understand,
will keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Believers should focus their
minds on whatever is true, honorable, just, pure,
lovely, gracious, excellent, and praiseworthy. We will
have the peace of God as we practice the examples we
have heard, been taught, and learned from Paul.
Paul thanked the
congregation for the gift which had been sent from them
to Paul by Epaphroditus (see Philippians 2:25-30). The
gift had been an opportunity to express their concern
for Paul (who was in prison in Rome, awaiting trial).
Paul would not complain of his circumstances, because he
had learned to be content in any situation. Paul knew
how to be content in abundance and in want. Paul was assured that he could do
whatever was required of him, through Christ who gives
him strength (through the indwelling Holy Spirit).
John Background:
With his disciples, Jesus
had gone to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Feast,
knowing that he would be crucified. His triumphal entry
into the city is what the Church celebrates at Palm
Sunday. Many people had also gone to Jerusalem to
celebrate the Passover Feast.
John Paraphrase:
Among those who had gone to
Jerusalem for the Passover Celebration were some Greeks (Gentiles), who approached
Philip (one of Jesus' Twelve disciples, who was from
Bethsaida in Galilee), and asked to see Jesus. Philip
went to Andrew (another disciple of the Twelve, who
was also from Bethsaida), and together they went to
tell Jesus.
Jesus told them that his
"hour" to be "glorified" had come. Jesus said that a
wheat seed must be buried (as in physical death) in
order to produce any "fruit." Jesus said that those who
love their lives in this world will lose them; but those
who hate their lives in this world will find true,
eternal life. Those who want to
serve Jesus must follow his example. His
servant will be where Jesus is, doing what Jesus is
doing, and God the Father will glorify the servant for
serving Jesus.
Commentary:
It is hard to learn to rely
solely on the Lord. Sometimes we must do what seems
contrary to common worldly, human, wisdom.
This lifetime is our only
opportunity to learn to trust and obey the Lord. As we
begin to trust and obey the Lord we will encounter
tests, and as we act in faith and obedience to the Lord,
we will learn that the Word of God is absolutely
reliable, and our faith will grow to spiritual maturity
at the Day of the Lord's Return. This is the process of
Christian Discipleship.
We must overcome our worldly
experience and human instinct to seek immediate, human
help, in order to learn to seek and rely on the Lord's
guidance. For example, a new disciple is tempted to call
his Pastor on the phone for immediate answer to a
personal problem, instead of the "uncertainty" of
praying to the Lord for guidance and waiting for an
answer.
In order to be able to
receive guidance from the Lord, one must be committed to
being his disciple, learning to seek his will, and to
trusting and obeying it. The Lord doen't reveal his will
to "window-shoppers;" those who want to know God's will
before they decide whether to do it.
One must get into the
condition to receive the Lord's guidance. Have you read
God's Book? The Holy Bible is God's manual for life in
this world. Are you seeking the Lord's guidance
day-by-day, one day at a time (Matthew 6:11, 34)? Often
we wait until a crisis comes, and then seek the Lord's
guidance, without having prepared. But crises are sure
to come along in life.
Often the Lord doesn't get
our attention until the crisis happens. When we make a
committment to seek guidance from the Lord he will begin
to reveal his will and guidance to us, even though we
haven't read the Bible or established daily personal
devotions. But we must start acting on the committment.
We must not be praying that if the Lord helps us this
time, we'll never bother him again!
Philip was a disciple,
learning to be guided by the Lord, but he had not yet
received the "baptism" (anointing; infilling; gift) of
the Holy Spirit. He wasn't sure what was the right thing
to do. He had some of Jesus' teaching, and may have
remembered that Jesus had said that he had come only for
the Jews (Matthew 15:24). Philip wasn't sure what to do,
so he sought out another disciple, Andrew, who was a
friend, who knew the Lord, for assurance, and together
they went to the Lord.
This is an example of
Christian Discipleship. A young disciple turned to
another disciple, to consider Jesus' teaching, and then
together they went to the Lord. Andrew was one of the
first of the Twelve to recogninze Jesus as the Messiah
(Christ), and he had led others to Christ, including his
brother, Simon Peter. The friend could be one's pastor,
or just a believer in Jesus who has more experience in
discipleship. Going to the friend is not just to seek
his worldly opinion and advice, but to consider and be
guided by God's Word, and then to go together to the
Lord in prayer.
One must be careful, when
learning to seek and be guided by the Lord. We all know
of instances where terrible things were done proportedly
at the Lord's guidance. The Lord will never lead us to
harm ourselves or others, and will never guide us to do
anything contrary the God's Word (in the Bible, and in
the example and teaching of Jesus Christ, the "living
Word," fulfilled, embodied and exemplified in human
flesh (John 1:1-5, 14). We should seek confirmation from
mature Christian disciples, and we should learn to "pray
back" what we think the Lord is guiding us to do, for
confirmation.
The Church is intended to be
a partnership in the ministry of the Gospel. New
believers are to be "discipled" by mature, "born-again"
(John 3:3, 5-8) Christian disciples until they are
"born-again," and then they are to repeat the process (2
Timothy 2:2). Paul's discipling of Timothy is one
example; Paul was discipling the Philippian
Congregation, which was the first church founded by Paul
on European soil (Acts 16:11-15).
The Apostle Paul (Saul of
Tarsus) is the prototype and example of a modern,
post-resurrection, born-again disciple and apostle of
Jesus Christ as we all can and should be. He was
confronted by the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus,
where he was intending to persecute Christians (Acts
9:1-5). Paul acknowledged Jesus as Lord and became
obedient to Jesus (Acts 9:6-10). He was discipled by a
born-again Christian disciple, Ananias, until Paul was
born-again, by the baptism of the indwelling Holy Spirit
(Acts 9:10-18). Then Paul began his ministry of
evangelism and disciple-making (Acts 9:20-22).
After Paul's "re-birth" most
of the rest of the New Testament is by or about Paul.
Paul's ministry was accomplished only by the power,
guidance and enablement of the indwelling Holy Spirit
within Paul. Paul didn't depend upon Church sanction of
his ministry (Galatians 1:11-17).
Paul was fulfilling the
"Great Commission" which Jesus had given his disciples
after Jesus' Resurrection, to go and make disciples of
Jesus Christ, teaching them to trust and obey all that
Jesus taught (Matthew 28:18-20), only after
they had received the baptism of the indwelling Holy
Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8). Jesus taught that
one must be born-again by the infilling of the Holy
Spirit in order to be a "teacher" of God's People (John
3:3-5-8).
Only Jesus baptizes with the
Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust
and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the
seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal
life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans
8:9b, 11, 15-16). It is possible for one to know with
certainty for oneself when one has been born-again (Acts
19:2).
Sadly, many parts of the
nominal Church today are failing to make born-again
disciples and are settling for making "members,"
fair-weather "Christians" who participate in Church if
it offers entertaining and interesting programs, and
members don't have something more important or
interesting to do. If Churches don't make born-again
disciples of Jesus Christ, there won't be born-again
disciples from whom to choose born-again preachers,
evangelists, missionaries and disciple-makers, and in
too many instances that is what has happened.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Maundy Thursday - Odd
First posted 03/23/05;
Podcast: Maundy Thursday - Odd
Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter, commemorating the Lord’s Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist.
Jeremiah 20:7-11 (12-13) 14-18 - Personal lament;
1 Corinthians 10:14-17; 11:27-32 - On Communion;
John 17:1-11 (12-26) - Jesus’ high priestly prayer;
Jeremiah felt tricked by God, overwhelmed and driven by God’s power into a position of ridicule; Jeremiah had become a laughingstock to everyone in the land. He was unable to resist preaching (God’s) wrath and destruction, causing him reproach and derision from his hearers.
Jeremiah’s adversaries were plotting against him to denounce him and take revenge against him. But the Lord was with him as his bodyguard, so Jeremiah’s enemies would not prevail, and would be put to shame. Jeremiah entrusted his cause to the Lord, the righteous judge, who knows the hearts and minds of humans and who will avenge evil and uphold the rights of the weak and poor. Jeremiah cursed the day of his birth because his life had become nothing but toil, sorrow and shame.
Paul warns Christians not to participate in the worship of idols. In worship the participant becomes one with the object of worship. Instead of being joined with demons, which are behind idols; (1 Corinthians 10:20-21), we are to become one with Christ through participation in the Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion; The Eucharist). The Cup (the fruit of the vine) is participation in the blood* of Christ, and the Bread is participation in the body of Christ. Christians are united with one another in Christ through their participation in the blood and body of Christ in faith.
Whoever partakes of the elements of Communion in an unworthy manner is “guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:27). So Christians are exhorted to examine themselves, and thus be prepared to participate in Communion worthily. Anyone who participates in the Lord’s Supper without faith (obedient trust) and without discerning the spiritual significance of Communion brings judgment (punishment) upon himself.
Paul says this is the reason many are weak, ill and dying. If we really examine ourselves objectively, we will have no reason to receive judgment (punishment). The Lord’s judgment on believers is corrective discipline so that we may avoid condemnation which is coming upon the world.
The setting of Jesus’ high priestly prayer was the Last Supper (John 13:1). Jesus acknowledged that the hour determined by God for Jesus to accomplish his purpose had come. Jesus asked God the Father to glorify his Son (to help Jesus accomplish God’s purpose to the glory of God) so that the Son would glorify God. God’s purpose was that those who trust and obey Jesus will receive eternal life through personal knowledge and fellowship with God the Father and the Son, by his indwelling Holy Spirit.
Jesus had glorified God through his ministry on earth, and Jesus asked God to restore him to the glory in God’s presence which Jesus had from before creation. Jesus had revealed God’s name (his person, power and authority) to Jesus’ disciples, who God had given him.
The disciples knew that Jesus was from God, sent by God, and they had received God’s Word through Jesus. Jesus prayed for unity among his disciples as Jesus and God are one in unity. Jesus prayed that God would keep Jesus’ disciples in unity in God’s name (person, power and authority; the name of Jesus).
While Jesus was in his earthly ministry, Jesus had kept them in his name (in true faith). Only Judas had been lost; he had chosen to be the son of perdition (eternal damnation), thus fulfilling God’s Word and purpose. Now Jesus knew he was leaving the world to return to God’s presence, and he prayed that his disciples would have Jesus’ joy fulfilled in themselves.
Jesus had given them God’s Word, and his disciples are hated by the worldly because the disciples do not conform to the world’s standards. They must remain in the world to continue Jesus’ ministry, but Jesus prays for their protection by God from evil. Jesus prayed that his disciples would be sanctified (purified and consecrated to God’s service) by God’s Word which is eternal truth.
Jesus prayed also for all who would come to believe in Jesus by the testimony of his disciples, that the Church would be united by the indwelling Father and Son through the Holy Spirit, so that the world will come to know the love of God in Jesus Christ through his disciples.
Jesus asked that his disciples would be with Jesus in heaven to behold his glory. The world has not known God, but Jesus has revealed God’s name, power and authority, so that God’s love would be within them through Jesus.
Jeremiah was a faithful servant of the Lord. He faithfully proclaimed God’s Word and was hated by the world for it. But he entrusted his cause to the Lord and the Lord was with him to protect and preserve him.
The Lord knows the thoughts and desires of mankind, and he is the righteous judge who will avenge evil and uphold the rights of the weak and poor. Jeremiah’s suffering for God’s Word prefigures the perfect fulfillment of the faithful servant in Jesus Christ.
Paul taught the early Church that Communion is the spiritual participation in the blood and body of Christ. Through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus, believers are united with Christ in one body through participation in the elements of Communion, by his indwelling Holy Spirit.
The Lord knows the innermost thoughts of our minds and the desires of our hearts. We cannot automatically be filled with the Holy Spirit just because we receive the elements of Communion. We should examine ourselves so that we will not participate in Communion in an unworthy manner and bring judgment upon ourselves
In his prayer at the close of the Last Supper, Jesus prayed for the mission of his Church and for his disciples (his followers; the members of his Church; Christians), that they would receive eternal life through personal knowledge of and fellowship with God the Father and the Son, through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus promised his disciples that those who trust and obey Jesus will receive the indwelling Holy Spirit; the Spirit of truth; the Counselor (John 14:15-17); the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9b).
Jesus promised that he and God the Father would dwell within his disciples (John 14: 23-26). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that we are in Christ and have eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
The gift of the Holy Spirit sanctifies us and consecrates us to God’s service and protects and empowers us to carry on Christ’s ministry. It is the Holy Spirit who unites Jesus’ disciples into Christ’s Body, the Church. It is through the Holy Spirit that disciples personally experience the love of God in Christ and the joy of the Lord’s presence within us.
Christ’s mission to the world cannot be carried out without the personal gift of the Holy Spirit. Believers should be discipled within the Church until they have received the indwelling Holy Spirit, before they are sent out into the world to carry on Christ’s mission (Luke 24:46-49: Acts 1:4-5, 8).
The world hates God’s Word. The world hated Jeremiah, hated Jesus, and hates Jesus’ disciples. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit within us that keeps us in true faith, who guides and comforts, protects and enables us to carry on Christ’s ministry.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
*According to Jewish Law, Jews were forbidden to drink blood or eat meat with its blood (Genesis 9:4), because it was believed that the blood of an animal contained its spirit. Jesus declared that the wine of Communion was his blood. God wants us to be filled with his Holy Spirit; not with the spirits of animals. The wine of Communion contains a promise to be received by faith (trust and obedience) in Jesus Christ.
Good Friday - Odd
First posted 03/24/05;
Podcast: Good Friday - Odd
Genesis 22:1-14 - Testing of Abraham;
1 Peter 1:10-20 - Exhortation to Godliness;
John 13:36-38 - Peter’s denial foretold;
John 19:38-42 - Jesus’ entombment;
Genesis Paraphrase:
To test Abraham, God told him to take his only son, Isaac, the heir to the promises of God, and sacrifice him on a mountain to which God would direct him. So Abraham did as God had told him. He arose early, cut wood for the burnt offering, and took Isaac and two servants to follow God’s direction. On the third day Abraham saw the mountain in the distance, and he left the servants and the donkey there, while he and Isaac traveled the remaining distance.
Abraham carried the fire and the knife, and Isaac carried the firewood. Isaac noted that they had the fire, the wood and the knife, but didn’t have the lamb for the sacrifice. His father told Isaac “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8).
When they came to the place God had led them, Abraham built an altar, laid the firewood on it and bound Isaac and laid him on the altar. When Abraham took the knife to kill his son, the angel of the Lord stopped him, telling Abraham not to harm the child. Abraham had demonstrated his fear of God (respect of God’s power and authority), since Abraham had been obedient even to sacrifice his only son.
Abraham looked and saw a ram caught by his horns in a thicket, so he killed the ram and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son. Abraham named the place “The Lord will provide” because on the mountain of the Lord it shall be provided.
1 Peter Paraphrase:
The prophets who foretold the grace of our salvation sought to know by the Spirit of Christ within them the identity and time of the coming of Christ when they predicted Christ’s suffering and subsequent glory. They learned that the prediction was not for their own age but for ours, and the fulfillment of their prophecy, which even angels have longed to see, has been announced to us by those who preached the Gospel by the Holy Spirit. So collect your senses, be sober, and hope completely in the grace which is coming to us at the revealing of Jesus Christ.
We are to be obedient children, not following our former ways when we were ignorant of the Gospel; instead we are to be holy (pure and consecrated to God) in all conduct, since God is holy (perfectly good and righteous; divine; 1 Peter 1:16; compare Leviticus 11:44-45). If we claim God as our Father, we should conduct ourselves with fear (respect of God’s power and authority) at all times, remembering that we are in exile during this life, and that God judges all people impartially, according to their deeds.
We have been ransomed from futile worldly ways we inherited from our earthly fathers, not by perishable material wealth, but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, “who was like a lamb without spot or blemish” (1 Peter 1:19). Christ was destined for our salvation before creation, but has been revealed at the end of time for our sake.
John 13 Paraphrase:
Jesus had told his disciples that he would be leaving them. Peter asked where he was going, and Jesus replied, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward” (John 13:36). Peter asked why he could not follow Jesus yet, declaring that he was willing to die for Jesus. Jesus questioned Peter’s declaration, and told him that Peter would deny Jesus three times that very night.
John 19 Paraphrase:
After Jesus’ death on the cross, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple who had not confessed Jesus publicly because he feared the religious authorities, asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus’ body for burial. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, brought the spices used in the Jewish burial custom, and they wrapped Jesus’ body in linen cloths with the spices. Jesus had been crucified near a garden where there was a new tomb which had never been used. Because it was the day of preparation (for the Jewish Sabbath), they laid Jesus' body in the garden tomb, since it was nearby.
Commentary:
God tested Abraham’s faith by asking Abraham to sacrifice his first-born son, the heir through whom God’s promise would be fulfilled. (The promise was that Abraham would be the father of a great nation, and through him all the people of the world would be blessed; Genesis 12:1-3. Isaac was the fulfillment of God’s promise of an heir of Abraham and Sarah, who had been childless: Genesis 15:1-6; 18:9-14).
Abraham not only respected God’s power and authority but trusted in God’s providence and faithfulness. Because Abraham trusted and obeyed God’s Word, God provided “himself” the Lamb to die in place of Isaac, the son of the promise.
God provided the ram in the thicket to die instead of Isaac, and God provided “himself,” in his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross as a sacrifice for sin, so that the sons (and daughters) of the promise, who trust and obey the Lord as Abraham did might live eternally.
God’s plan of salvation (which see, sidebar, top right, home) in Jesus Christ, existed before the creation of the world. God created this universe with his purpose of salvation built in. The Old Testament Prophets prophesied by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ within them. We have received the Gospel of Jesus Christ from those who have proclaimed it by the Holy Spirit, and we must be filled with the Holy Spirit to carry on the mission of Christ and the proclamation of the Gospel to the world.
I am convinced that the meaning and purpose of life is to provide the opportunity to seek and find the Lord and come to personal fellowship with him (Acts 17:26-27). This life is a selection process for eternal life, and we get to make the selection for ourselves.
We have all sinned (disobeyed God’s Word) and fall short of God’s righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). The penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). We are ransomed from bondage to sin and death by the blood of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the Cross by God’s grace (unmerited favor; free gift) to be received by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Jesus is the Lamb of God, perfect, without spot or blemish, who was slain for us. We come to personal fellowship with and knowledge of the Lord through his indwelling Holy Spirit, which he only gives to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (Isaiah 42:5e; John 14:15-17).
If we claim God as our Father through Jesus Christ (no one comes to God except through Jesus Christ; John 14:6) we are to be his obedient children. We are to no longer live according to worldly ways, but instead live in obedience to God's Word and be filled with, guided and empowered by his Holy Spirit.
Peter claimed to be willing to die for Jesus, but when he encountered a little opposition from the world, he denied Jesus three times. Joseph of Arimathea considered himself a disciple, but did not want it known publicly, because he cared about what his friends and neighbors would think.
Nicodemus had first come to Jesus by night, so that wouldn’t be criticized in his society. Jesus was willing to die on the Cross for us. Are we willing to live for him? Are we willing to confess him and follow him openly in the world or is it something we want to keep secret? Can the world tell, from what we do as well as what we say, that we are disciples of Jesus Christ?
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Good Friday is the day commemorating Jesus’ death on the Cross.
Saturday Holy Week - Odd
First posted 03/25/05;
Podcast: Saturday Holy Week - Odd
Job 19:21-27a - My Redeemer lives!
Hebrews 4:1-16 - God's promised rest;
Romans 8:1-11 - Life in the Spirit;
Job Paraphrase:
Job longed for a friend to comfort him in his affliction. He didn’t understand why trouble continued to pursue him, apparently not satisfied with anything less than Job’s death. Job longed for his cause to be recorded in some eternal manner. Job believed his Redeemer (vindicator) lives, and at last will stand upon the earth. Job believed that beyond physical death he will see God.
Hebrews Paraphrase:
God has promised that those who trust and obey him will enter his rest (Hebrews 3:18-19 RSV), but this promise must be appropriated through faith (obedient trust). The Israelites in the wilderness failed to receive it because they didn’t respond to God’s Word with faith.
We should learn from their example and be careful, so that we might not come into judgment for failing to reach God’s promised rest. God rested on the seventh day from the work of creation. Although God finished his work of creation on the seventh day, creation does not automatically enter God’s rest. Because disobedience prevented the Israelites from entering God’s rest, we must be careful now, today, not to harden our hearts against God’s Word.
The Israelites did not automatically enter God’s rest when Joshua led them into the Promised Land, because David, centuries later, spoke of a Sabbath rest remaining to be received by faith. So a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people to appropriate by faith. So let us strive to enter that rest so that we don’t fail to receive it because of disobedience of God’s Word.
“God’s word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). No creature is hidden or can hide his actions or his innermost thoughts and desires from God.
Romans Paraphrase:
Those who are in Christ Jesus are free, now, from condemnation and eternal punishment. Those who are living in obedient trust in Jesus Christ through his indwelling Holy Spirit have been freed from the Law of sin and death. God’s plan of salvation (see sidebar, top right, home) through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s (only begotten) Son, accomplished what the Law could not do, because of our human weakness.
Jesus came in human flesh to condemn sin in the flesh and to destroy the power of sin, so that those who walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit, rather than in obedience to our selfish human nature, can fulfill the just requirements of the Law. Those who live in their physical nature pursue material things and physical desires, but those who live according to the Spirit pursue spiritual and eternal things.
Pursuing physical and material gratification leads to eternal spiritual death, but pursuing the things of the Spirit leads to eternal life and peace (with God). Those who live according to their physical human nature are hostile to God; they do not and cannot submit to or please God. “But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) really dwells in you.
Commentary:
Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ (the Holy Spirit) does not belong to him (Christ; God)” (Romans 8:9). If Christ is truly in us, by the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit, then although our physical bodies are dead because of sin, our Spirits are alive because of (Christ’s) righteousness. If God’s Spirit dwells in us God’s Spirit will give us eternal life just as he raised Jesus from the dead.
Job felt alone and unjustly afflicted. He was afraid that he would continue to suffer through the rest of his physical life. Job’s hope was that there would be some eternal record of his unjust suffering and that a Redeemer would judge the earth and vindicate Job at last. Job acknowledged that the body of flesh passes away, but also hoped that beyond physical death he would be in God’s presence and have personal fellowship with God.
For Christians, Jesus is our Redeemer and vindicator. He has promised to return to judge the earth, to vindicate his disciples who trust and obey him, and to condemn the wicked to eternal punishment. (Matthew 25:31-46). Our Redeemer lives! Jesus is our friend and Comforter (John 14:16 KJV) through his Holy Spirit within us. On the Last Day, he will stand upon the earth. Those who have trusted and obeyed him will spend eternity in the presence of our Lord in Paradise.
God has promised that those who trust and obey him will enter his rest. God’s rest has existed from the completion of Creation. We have a foretaste of that rest now, if we choose to honor the Lord’s Day. Christian disciples await eternal rest from the labor and tribulation of this life in eternal life in the Lord’s presence in Heaven. That promise of eternal rest must be appropriated by obedient trust in Jesus Christ, now. God knows our inner thoughts and desires and cannot be fooled.
We can and must begin to live, now, in the presence and fellowship of our Lord through the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit, to be able to live with him in eternity. The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that we are in Christ and have eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). The Lord gives his Holy Spirit to his disciples who trust and obey him (Isaiah 42:5e; John 14:15-17). It is possible for us to know for ourselves with certainty whether we have been filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2).
We are free, now, from bondage to the Law of sin and (eternal) death, from condemnation and eternal punishment, provided that we walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit. We can choose whether to live according to the Holy Spirit or according to our human nature and desires. Those who live to please and gratify themselves condemn themselves to eternal destruction.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
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